The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia dispute these claims.
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In this image released by the US Department of Defense, US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter speaks to Sailors and Marines on the USS Stennis aircraft carrier after touring the ship with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin (C) as it sails the South China Sea April 15, 2016.
“With each Balikatan and each cruise by the Stennis, with each new multilateral exercise and each new defence agreement, we add a stitch to the fabric of the region’s security network”, he said at the close of the US-Philippines Balikatan military exercises in Manila.
The Philippines has disputed China’s claims in a case it has brought before an global arbitration court.
Overall, the USA questions China’s claims over the sovereignty of the South China Sea and she worries that China wants to control the important trade passage and obstruct freedom of navigation.
“The joint patrols between the United States and the Philippines in the South China Sea are militarizing the region and are non-beneficial to regional peace and stability”, said a statement posted to the ministry’s website late Thursday.
China had earlier denounced plans announced in Manila on Thursday to deepen US-Philippine military ties, including joint patrols in the South China Sea, saying they reflected a “Cold War mentality”.
Malacañang on Friday defended the holding of joint patrols with the United States in the disputed South China Sea and rejected the statement of China’s defense ministry that such actions reflect a “Cold War mentality”.
“We have been here for decade upon decade”, Carter said.
“What’s new is not an American carrier in this region”. They said more of such joint patrols would be conducted in the future.
Through a spokesperson, the U.S. Navy said, “We’re sending our most advanced warfighting platforms to the region, including multi-mission ballistic missile defense-capable ships, submarines, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft”.
By its strong and negative reaction to the intensified joint Philippine-US military activities in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea, China “misunderstands” their goal, which is to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce, Malacañang said yesterday.
It added, “However, in addition to its commitment not to take sides, Washington must be reminded of one simple fact: neither muscle-flexing nor arbitrary intervention will shake China’s resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights”.
Carter said the invitation for China to join the bi-annual Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise still stands amid growing tensions between the two countries over the South China Sea territorial issues. The U.S. will increase troop rotations to strengthen training and support increased military operations in the region.
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The left-wing Bayan (Nation), an umbrella group of Philippine nationalist and anti-U.S. organisations, dismissed such cooperation with the United States as a move by the US military to create a permanent presence in the Philippines as a platform from which it could dominate the region.
